More youths join scheme to boost skills |18 July 2012

Present at the launch ceremony were the Minister for Labour and Human Resource Development Idith Alexander, her principal secretary (PS) Veronique Bresson, and other senior officials from their ministry.

The training programme was introduced in February 2010 to help vulnerable young people from 18 to 35 years old – who had not completed secondary or post secondary school, or lacked necessary skills in a certain field – with opportunities to develop their skills, enhance their knowledge and gain on-the-job experience to ease their access to employment opportunities on the labour market.

Many of the trainees who have followed this programme have today been absorbed at their places of attachment, or got jobs at other places.

At the launch ceremony, some of them were present to tell their success stories.
While officially launching this year’s training programme, PS Bresson said youths form part of the highest number of jobseekers in Seychelles.

“Out of 1284 registered jobseekers, youths between the ages of 15 and 35 represent 78% of the total jobseekers. Most of them are young male and female who did not successfully complete their vocational or academic schooling and therefore could not earn the required qualification to enter the world of work,” she said.

“Therefore, one of the many challenges that the young vulnerable jobseekers face in their every day job search is ‘competition’ due to lack of qualifications, experience and necessary skills to compete with the expectations and job requirements of the labour market.”

She noted that these unskilled youngsters are motivated and determined to take up employment, but they end up being confused and discouraged after turning up for job interviews and finally being told that they do not possess the necessary requirement or experience for the job.

“In the end, some of them give up the search for employment and fall prey to the various social ills which are currently invading our society,” she said.

The skills development programme is now part of the ministry’s strategy and every year the government makes budgetary provisions to ensure continued upgrading of the youths’ skills.

Ms Bresson said this new group will be attached to tourism establishments, an area where there is a large scope of prospects for young Seychellois jobseekers.

She also told the group that the ministry is offering them a second and fair chance for a career in a field of their choice.

“I call on you to seize this opportunity to learn and develop the best of your abilities so that at the end of your six months’ training, you can be absorbed in full time employment,” she said.
To prevent dropouts like has been the case in the past, trainees will receive counselling and follow-up as they progress.